Current airport aviation practices depend on the use of de-icing fluid to remove ice and prevent its future build-up for time periods of 5-10 minutes. Verification that wing and other aerodynamic or control surfaces are ice free is done visually, often under difficult viewing conditions. Occasionally significant ice build-ups are not noticed, with tragic results. Responsibility for detecting such ice rests with the aircraft crew who rely on visual viewing, perhaps supplemented with an ordinary flashlight. Obviously, a need exists for a system which is capable of accurately and easily determining the presence of ice on an aircraft wing.